The Man I Killed
by falcon1399
Summary: Screen play I wrote in English. Based on the short story


EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
A butterfly is flying through the jungle. A grenade crosses its path. There is a flash of light. The butterfly comes upon a dead man who is lying in the middle of a path. The butterfly lands carelessly on the dead man's face and rain begins to fall. To take cover from the rain, the butterfly retreats off screen.   
  
TUCKER JOHNSTON is an American soldier of average build and demeanor. He is staring at the dead body.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:00 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker is seen among other soldiers in a small camp on the outskirts of a very dense jungle. It is dusk, very hot, and muggy. A storm is on the horizon.  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:16 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker is staring at the dead body. ALEC O'CONNOR, a lanky, nervous friend of Tucker comes up behind Tucker.  
  
ALEC  
Man, Tuck, you fuckin' trashed 'em. Seriously, you scrambled his sorry self. Look at that. You fuckinÕ laid him out like shredded wheat.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:01 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker is seen at the camp. The men start to gather around to receive orders. A SERGEANT comes out of one of the tents and starts barking orders.  
  
SERGEANT   
It's simple boys. Kill Charlie at every possible opportunity. Kill every commie you see.  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:17 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker is still staring at the dead body as Alec stands next to him. Alec scratches his head and continues commenting.  
  
ALEC  
He is one dead fuckin' commie.  
  
TUCKER  
Go away.  
  
ALEC  
I'm just sayin' the truth.   
  
TUCKER  
Go.  
  
ALEC  
Okay, I take it back then, but on the dead test this particular individual gets an A-plus.  
  
There is a substantially uncomfortable pause.  
  
ALEC  
But seriously, it's dangerous out here. We need to take cover and keep movin'. We could get fucked up at any time. Who knows whatÕs out here?  
  
Tucker seems to ignore Alec and does not respond to any of his comments. He continues staring at the body while his disbelief and shame grow in intensity.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:05 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker and Alec depart from their group and go further into the jungle. While Alec is concerning himself with other matters Tucker is keeping a sharp lookout. He hears some rustling and footsteps off in the distance. Soon, he can see a faint shadow near the mysterious noise.  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:16 P.M. (1967)  
  
Rain grows heavier making it nearly impossible to hear anything more than twenty yards away. Tucker is still staring at the dead man.  
  
ALEC  
(grabbing Tucker's shoulder)  
Come on Tuck. Stop fuckin' around. We can barely see or hear. We have to leave now.  
  
TUCKER  
(pushing Alec away)  
Leave me alone.  
  
ALEC  
(gesturing towards dead man)  
You don't wanna end up like him do you?  
  
EXT- FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:14 P.M. (1967)  
  
The source of the mysterious noises appears to Tucker. Alec is unaware of it, though. It is a small Vietnamese soldier without his gun drawn. He walks up the path slowly without noticing Tucker and Alec's presence. The man's full attention is being given to a brass compass in his right hand. Many loud bird calls can be heard in the background.  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:17 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker kneels down beside body and begins scavenging through its possessions.  
  
ALEC  
Tuck it's a war. The guy wasn't Heidi - he had a weapon, right? What else could you do? You wannna trade places with him?  
  
Tucker continues searching the body, ignoring Alec.  
  
ALEC  
(overwhelmed with fear)  
Stop fuckin' staring!  
  
Tucker finds a few of the man's personal items. He takes a couple pictures and the man's dog tags and shoves them in his ammunition pouch.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker takes out a grenade  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:18 P.M. (1967)  
  
Rain is pouring down harshly.  
  
ALEC  
Goddammit Tucker, I'm not fuckin' kidding. We ain't got time for this.  
  
A crash of thunder sounds and the limb of a tree breaks and falls nearby.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker pulls the pin out of his grenade as the man drops his compass.  
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM - 6:19 P.M. (1967)  
  
Alec is so scared he is about to run away by himself and Tucker is standing up next to the dead body. He seems oblivious to the storm around him.   
  
ALEC  
(starting to move away)  
Tuck this is the last time IÕm gunna wait for you. Are you coming or not?  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
Tucker pulls his arm back and hurls the grenade. All he is sure about is that his target is an enemy soldier.   
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM - 6:20 P.M. (1967)  
  
Alec takes a few more steps away from Tucker and the dead body.   
  
ALEC  
(look of fear)  
ThatÕs it Tuck. IÕm gettinÕ the fuck outta here.  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
The grenade lands at the feet of the Vietnamese man. Startled, he jumps. Before his feet touch the ground again the grenade explodes. The birds suddenly become quiet.   
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM - 6:21 P.M. (1967)  
  
A large crash is heard in the jungle again. This time Alec shoulders his weapon and whips it around frantically.  
  
ALEC  
(gun still shouldered)  
Uh... Tuck? Did you hear that?  
  
Tucker still ignores Alec.  
  
EXT - FLASHBACK - JUNGLE - VIETNAM 6:15 P.M. (1967)  
  
The pieces blown off of the man fall back to the ground. The birds continue to sing.   
  
EXT - JUNGLE - VIETNAM - 6:21 P.M. (1967)  
Tucker finally realizes that there is nothing he can do and slowly stands up. He looks around at the thick jungle undergrowth and then back at Alec.  
  
TUCKER  
(looking for something)  
IÕm cominÕ, IÕm cominÕ.  
  
ALEC  
ItÕs about fuckinÕ time. We donÕt know whatÕs out here. We could get our heads blown off before we even saw the son of a bitch who did it.  
  
TUCKER  
(still looking)  
Hold on.  
  
ALEC  
Now what?  
  
After looking around for a little bit longer Tucker finally finds what he is looking for. He picks up two sticks.  
Tucker walks back to the dead body and constructs a makeshift cross near the corpse.  
TUCKER  
There.  
  
  
After gathering their weapons which they had laid on the ground, the two quickly hurry down the path and out of view. 


End file.
